Device for discharging fruit, bulbs, and similar articles from traveling conveyers



Feb. 9, 1954 A w JANSEN 2568551 DEVICE FOR DISCHARGING FRUIT, BLUBS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES FROM TRAVELING CONVEYERS Filed Aug. 12, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l I I G. I

Feb. 9, 1954 A. w. JANSEN 5 5 DEVICE FOR DISCHARGING FRUIT, BLUBS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES FROM TRAVELING CONVEYERS Filed Aug. 12, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 9, 1954 DEVICE FOR DISCHARGING FRUIT, BULBS, AND SIMILAR ARTICLES FROM TRAVEL- ING CONVEYERS Andries Wilhelm J ansen, Rijswijk, Netherlan Application August 12, 1952, Serial No.. 303,91

4 Claims. (c. 226-91 This invention relates to means for discharging fruit, bulbs, tubers and other articles which are liable to be damaged and are supplied by a conveyor.

When discharging fruit or similar articles from a conveyor for grading, assorting or selecting them the drawback occurs that the articles are injured when they fall down into the collecting bins or receptacles. drawback it has been proposed to provide said bins with a flap or apron of flexible material on which the articles are received. said fiap or apron, however, does not completely avoid damage of the articles as said latter fall down on the articles already lying on the apron.

The invention has for its object to remove said drawback and to this end means are provided for periodically emptying said apron. To this end the aprons may be secured to an endless belt or chain moving in a vertical plane so that the aprons travel over the collecting receptacles.

In the drawing which illustrates an embodiment of the invention:

Fig. l is a side View of a portion of a sizing apparatus provided with means for emptying the aprons.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the sizing apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

The apparatus is provided with a continuously moving conveyor belt 6 which receives the fruit to be graded and discharges the fruit through outlets l below which collecting receptacles 2 are arranged, each of said receptacles receiving fruit of a definite size. Below the outlets l an endless belt or chain 3 is arranged which is passed on two terminal pulleys one of which is shown at 4. said pulley is continuously driven and the belt 3 carries spaced bars 1 projecting laterally from the belt. To each bar 1 an apron 5 of flexible rubber is secured so that said aprons are slowly moved through the receptacles by the travelling belt or chain. consequently the articles lying on the apron roll at the free end thereof into the receptacle 2 when said end of the apron leaves the stationary supporting bar 8 and falls down into the receptacle.

The receptacles 2 are removable crates which may be supported on the inclined upper surfaces of brackets 9 that are secured to the frame of the apparatus, and each bracket 9 is provided with a nose I!) to restrain sliding of the crates 2 ofi the brackets 9.

It will also be possible to disconnect the aprons from the belt 3 and to secure them to stationary In order to remove said' bars extending parallel to the bars 8 which latter are-then secured to the travelling belt 3 so that the bars 8 continuously move and periodically raise the apron 5 in order to remove the fruit therefrom.

The above described means for discharging articles from a travelling conveyor into collecting receptacles may also be used when the fruit on the conveyor must be subjected to a treatment of any kind e. g. to a brushing operation or be provided with a protecting coating.

What I claim is:

1. In an apparatus, for use in discharging by gravity articles liable to be damaged by impact, in combination, a frame, a transport mechanism movably supported on said frame for conveying said articles, a gate formed on said frame adjacent said mechanism for the discharge therethrough of articles from said mechanism, a receptacle open on top supported on said frame below said gate for receiving through said open top articles discharged by gravity from said gate, and means disposed between said gate and said receptacle and being operable to break the impact of fall of said articles and to deposit the same free from damage into said receptacle, comprising a continuous conveyor having a continuous movement in a horizontal direction above and adjacent said open top of the receptacle, a plurality of fiexible aprons at spaced intervals along the conveyor and each having a leading end secured to said conveyor and extending rearwardly from said leading end in a direction opposite to said direction of movement of the conveyor, the rearward trailing end of each of said aprons being unattached and free to flex downwardly from the conveyor as the latter passes over said open top of the receptacle and receives said articles, and supporting means fixedly mounted below the portion of the conveyor which passes over said open top and located at the side of the receptacle which is nearest in the direction from which the successive portions of the conveyor approach said open top, each trailing end successively engaging said supporting means so as to be supported thereby for a short period of time as the apron passes over said receptacle and down into the interior thereof, said apron having a length materially greater than that of said open top.

2. In an apparatus as claimed in claim 1, said supporting means comprising a horizontally extending bar engaging the lower surface of each apron.

3. In an apparatus as claimed in claim 1, to-

gether with means for mounting said conveyor for continuous movement comprising a pair of spaced pulleys each mounted on said fame for rotation about a horizontal axis, said conveyor being in the form of an endless fiexible member 5 extending around said pulleys and having a horizontal upper pprtionpassing aboveandadjacent said openimeceptadetops- 4. In an apparatus, for use in distributing by gravity articles liable to be damaged by impact in combination, a frame, a transport mechanism' movably supported on saidafiameafr'conveyingg said articles, a series of gates frmed lonmsaifij frame adjacent said mechanism for the discharge through each gatepiselected artic1es ity from the gate abovepand means disposed between said= i series= of "gatesand saidseries' -of receptacles and: beingoperable' to -'break*the im'- pact of ran of Said articl's and to' depost the same into the--respective receptaclscomprising;

a continuous conveyor havingcontinuous movement in `a-=horizontal 'direction-above-'and 'adj'acent said open receptacle tops; a =plurality of flexible aprons connected at spaced intervals" to' the con'- veyor' and each having a leading end secured to said'conveyor and extending rearwardly from' said leading end in 'a 'directionopposite to* said direction of movement of the conveyor, the rearward trailing end of each of said aprons being unattached and free to fiex downwardly from the conveyor as the latter passes over said open tops of the receptacles and receives said articles, a series of supports, one support being disposed nearleach ,receptacle and fixedlmmounted below that portion of ;the conveyor whichpgasses over the open top of said receptacle and located at the side of said receptacle from which the successive portions of the conveyor approach the open topxfsaids'receptacl each of said trailing ends successively engaging said supports so as to be supported iiT--su'ccession by each support for a shorttp eriodaofstime, as the apron passes over the receptacle near said support and thence down into the-interiorrof said receptacle, each apron havngratlength materially greater than that of each open top.

ANDRIES 'JANSN:

bhrnbew` Name Datei '751,676: Nelson? F'eb'; 9, ..19.04 1;.O64;194 Carroll June 10,*191'31 1,-656;89O1 semir .Jan' 17,: 1928 1,696;554:? Phelps; Dc:.25','1928- 1;9.06,'331:; Phelps e May :2,1 1933 

